I can walk outside right now in a t-shirt and shorts at 5am and not feel cold.....IN THE UK! I noticed something was up in the summer of 2011 when the sun felt red hot through the windscreen of my car. I along with the rest of you cant even look in the general direction of the sun without feeling blinded.

Has anyone considered the glaciers melting constantly which is putting an imbalance on the temperatures around the world making ocean temps way warmer than usual? Doesnt mean north pole is shifting.. It takes thousands of years for a pole shift.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1854376

no, it doesn't. there are thousands of years between pole shifts, but the actual pole shift can be quick as hell.

And now this latest story — the USDA confirms that indeed WARM LATITUDES have shifted north — what once was the climate of New Orleans Louisiana to North Florida is now the Climate of South Missouri to North Carolina !!! Plants will be able to live in these warmer new climates developing… thus some tropical species will thrive in temperate zones.

This is HUGE news!!!

In my opinion — this all can now be put together into one narrative — THE EARTHS MAGNETIC POLES HAVE SHIFTED .. this is not wild conspiracy talk .. it is now being confirmed by stories like this USDA announcement.

I think the important analysis is a Northwestern twist of magnetic North, and hence some predictability in the warmth of certain zones, but most likely a cooling of others. It may not be stable, so for anyone in agriculture, then those farmers could be fooled by the change. An increase in warm temperatures may also mean a loss of moisture from evaporation. We could get hotter and dryer, in the USA especially as a result of the drought too.

So what difference could it make? Well increased uncertainty means mistakes will most likely result in adapting to the changing patterns. That usually means less than optimal crop yields and higher prices.

Those wild game or livestock in the changing zones will have to adapt too, so it could really affect their numbers. Already we had a mild winter, so more deer survived. That's not necessarily good unless they also can survive on what minimal plants are around, but we might have far more come hunting season. Or any animals that prey upon them might be able to feed better.

With more deer, and a collapsing economy, it stands to reason that more people will be hunting since the odds of acquiring an animal may be greater. So I would expect to see more articles on that phenomena. More hunting rifles, more long rifle ammunition geared towards that purpose. More gear.

Warmer weather could affect any outside activity like construction, what little is going on.

"I think the important analysis is a Northwestern twist of magnetic North, and hence some predictability in the warmth of certain zones, but most likely a cooling of others. It may not be stable, so for anyone in agriculture, then those farmers could be fooled by the change. An increase in warm temperatures may also mean a loss of moisture from evaporation. We could get hotter and dryer, in the USA especially as a result of the drought too."

I remember them changing the growing charts around 1990. They said it was to make them more detailed and accurate. It caused quite a commotion in the gardening community

Quoting: Brunhilda

As an avid gardener, the new 2012 map just released is going to cause even more of a commotion!

This is outstanding..

Best item in the news all day. Since gardening is a huge hobby of mine, perhaps the best news item all year.

I live in Minneapolis, here's a quote from today's article about it in the Minneapolis StarTribune-

"The coldest rating on the previous Minnesota map -- 2b in two areas of northern Minnesota -- disappeared entirely from the new map, while two small lobes of a warmer zone previously unseen in Minnesota, 5a, crept across the Iowa border into southern Minnesota; that zone also popped up in a few very small parts of the metro area, the so-called "urban heat island."

So from this new map, it shows parts of Minneapolis in a growing zone warmer than any area in about 100 miles around.

Huge news. Reputable plant nurseries will guarantee their perennial plants will survive if they are rated for that USDA hardiness zone.

When I was growing up here back in the 60's and 70's, Minneapolis was a brutal USDA zone 3. Then in the 1990, it went to zone 4a. Now in 2012, zone 5!

The central US, often called the "breadbasket of the world" for it's agriculture production, will become even more abundant.

People will be able to grow things they previously couldn't. Here in Minneapolis, you can grow raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, no problem, but most blackberries were zone 5 and a risk to try, until now!

Similar for alot of grape varieties, plants like rosemary and lavender, you wouldn't bother with it before, but now you can give it a shot.

The glorious wonders of God's plant creations will be expanded to millions more people with these new USDA zones.

"I think the important analysis is a Northwestern twist of magnetic North, and hence some predictability in the warmth of certain zones, but most likely a cooling of others. It may not be stable, so for anyone in agriculture, then those farmers could be fooled by the change. An increase in warm temperatures may also mean a loss of moisture from evaporation. We could get hotter and dryer, in the USA especially as a result of the drought too."

Apart from one 'slight' flaw. This isn't only happening in the USA!

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 9662370

Yes, the Northwestern twist is a WORLDWIDE phenomena. I never said otherwise. As an American, I can only comment on what I am seeing locally. However based upon the phenomena pattern, I think it's safe to assume that some regions will get cooler even colder as a result of the magnetic North displacement. No argument from me.

Re: hatch battener comments

Careful. An increase in hardiness doesn't mean an increase in moisture too. In fact there is a decrease. So while it may be warmer, it may be very dry this year based upon similar drought studies going on. See: [link to droughtmonitor.unl.edu]

While your area may be protected, as well as the Midwest, much of the country has 70% of normal moisture in the soil. That can kill off nitrogen fixing bacteria colonies, and make the soil sterile. Heat doesn't necessarily translate to better crops.

Magnetic poles shifting do not have any effect on climate, the axis of the earth's rotation would have to change to angle the northern parts of the planet closer to the sun. Anyone who takes a glance at their clock at sunset would know that the earth's axis of rotation has not changed. Furthermore, pole shifts could not cause an ice age. This change is in response to global climate change, or global warming as some of you may call it. The rest of you can enjoy continuing to deny it is happening.

Early sunrise in Greenland is due to lower ice caps which caused the horizon to be lower. This can be verified by physical measurements of the ice caps. The only other serious explanation offered that would not conflict with the position of the sun at other points on the planet is that atmospheric CO2 levels or other phenomenon have caused the suns rays to bend at a greater degree near the ice cap causing the illusion of the sun appearing over the horizon.

For any of you interested in subduing your fears that our planet is rolling on its axis, go ahead and look in your local newspaper what time sunrise was for you today, then look in your newspaper archives for the time it was the year prior. If those two times are the same, then you are at the same angle to the sun as you were the year prior.

Magnetic poles shifting do not have any effect on climate, the axis of the earth's rotation would have to change to angle the northern parts of the planet closer to the sun. Anyone who takes a glance at their clock at sunset would know that the earth's axis of rotation has not changed. Furthermore, pole shifts could not cause an ice age. This change is in response to global climate change, or global warming as some of you may call it. The rest of you can enjoy continuing to deny it is happening.

Early sunrise in Greenland is due to lower ice caps which caused the horizon to be lower. This can be verified by physical measurements of the ice caps. The only other serious explanation offered that would not conflict with the position of the sun at other points on the planet is that atmospheric CO2 levels or other phenomenon have caused the suns rays to bend at a greater degree near the ice cap causing the illusion of the sun appearing over the horizon.

For any of you interested in subduing your fears that our planet is rolling on its axis, go ahead and look in your local newspaper what time sunrise was for you today, then look in your newspaper archives for the time it was the year prior. If those two times are the same, then you are at the same angle to the sun as you were the year prior.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 9664906

Who's talking about axis?????

I thought we were talking about the magnetic field and if it has an impact on weather. I didn't mention an axis change. My gosh a tiny axis change would result in catastrophe.

Magnetic poles shifting do not have any effect on climate, the axis of the earth's rotation would have to change to angle the northern parts of the planet closer to the sun. Anyone who takes a glance at their clock at sunset would know that the earth's axis of rotation has not changed. Furthermore, pole shifts could not cause an ice age. This change is in response to global climate change, or global warming as some of you may call it. The rest of you can enjoy continuing to deny it is happening.

Early sunrise in Greenland is due to lower ice caps which caused the horizon to be lower. This can be verified by physical measurements of the ice caps. The only other serious explanation offered that would not conflict with the position of the sun at other points on the planet is that atmospheric CO2 levels or other phenomenon have caused the suns rays to bend at a greater degree near the ice cap causing the illusion of the sun appearing over the horizon.

For any of you interested in subduing your fears that our planet is rolling on its axis, go ahead and look in your local newspaper what time sunrise was for you today, then look in your newspaper archives for the time it was the year prior. If those two times are the same, then you are at the same angle to the sun as you were the year prior.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 9664906

Who's talking about axis?????

I thought we were talking about the magnetic field and if it has an impact on weather. I didn't mention an axis change. My gosh a tiny axis change would result in catastrophe.

Quoting: HopeisEssential

I do not believe I said that the magnetic poles or fields of the earth do not change. A tiny axis change doesn't result in anything, it happens all the time during large earthquakes. The video you posted has nothing to do with changing of the position of magnetic poles and the climate, because they have no relationship. As I stated before, the only way to MOVE the warmer climates northward is if the earth's angle of inclination towards the sun caused areas further north to face the sun more directly. The reason the equator is hotter than the poles is because the equator faces the sun more directly, and therefore receives a greater dose of sunlight, whereas at the poles, the sunlight only comes in at an angle, therefore they get less, and more of the heat is reflected away.

The reason I mentioned the earth's axis changing is because of the OP drawing some type of conclusion about the sun rising early in greenland as if that meant greenland was oriented more towards the sun than usual.

People who frequent a conspiracy theory website should at least be smart enough and incorporate enough real science into their beliefs that their conspiracy theories can be plausible. When a conspiracy theory is based on nothing more than nutjobbery and irrelevant conclusions, it does nothing for the credibility of the theorist. You might as well be running for the Republican Presidential nomination saying that god told you to run for president. Go ahead, google how well that has worked for them in recent years.

Nothing, It's just a mild winter. If this was true most of uk would be having iceland like temp, and holland would be like sweden I guess.

Quoting: Bovriltard

In Serbia it is unusually hot for this time of year...this climate was never, ever like this before...Its not like that we are complaining. I guess that heating companies are very happy earning millions on this and more then that electricity spending is double less then any year.If this continue Serbia will have some kind of continental worm climate, maybe never seen before.We got write peace of that weather cake so far :-)))..and Djokovic rules still. :P

Nothing, It's just a mild winter. If this was true most of uk would be having iceland like temp, and holland would be like sweden I guess.

Quoting: Bovriltard

In Serbia it is unusually hot for this time of year...this climate was never, ever like this before...Its not like that we are complaining. I guess that heating companies are very happy earning millions on this and more then that electricity spending is double less then any year.If this continue Serbia will have some kind of continental worm climate, maybe never seen before.We got write peace of that weather cake so far :-)))..and Djokovic rules still. :P

Quoting: DJocker

just to mention that Arabic countries are investing in our agriculture...hihihihi, they climate came to us, they invest in it..funny folks.

They always tell us the magnetic poles do not effect the physical poles, but why does the planting map match the old planting map if you shift North America south based on the current location of the magnetic pole?

Minneapolis/St Paul now has the weather of Saint Louis. Last winter, our weather matched the averages for Saint Louis and yes...Saint Louis matched Louisiana.